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Thera 1.50: Vimala
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(50):Vimala Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =50. Vimala= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Rājagaha, of a wealthy family, and (because of a wish he had uttered over a pious act when Kaseapa was Buddha) his body was as pure as a dewdrop on a lotus-leaf, or as that of the Bodhisat in his last birth. For that reason he was named Vimala (Im-maculatus). When grown up ho was filled with faith on seeing the Buddha at Rājagaha,1 and leaving the world, took a form of study and went to live in a mountain cave in Kosala. Now one day a vast storm-cloud spread over the firmament and the rain fell, allaying heat and feverishness, so tuat the Thera was able to concentrate till he had won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that rejoicing over his accomplished task, he broke forth in this saying(gatha): ---- 50 Dharaṇī ca siñcati1 vāti māluto vijjutā carati nabhe|| Upasamanti vitakkā cittaɱ susamāhitaɱ mamā' ti.|| || ---- 50 The burdened earth is sprinkled by the rain, The winds blow cold, the lightnings roam on high. Eased and allayed the obsessions of the mind, And in my heart the spirit's mastery.2 ---- This verse was the Thera's declaration of aññā(supreme attainment). ---- 1 Cf. Pss. XLI., XLVI. 2 Lit., 'the heart (consciousness! of me is well composed.' ---- 1.5-10 50 Commentary on the stanza of =Vimala Thera= 10,1. The stanza starting with Dharanī ca siñcati constitutes that of the venerable Thera Vimala. What is the origin? He also, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating good deeds conducive towards escape from the rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn at the time of the Glorius One Vipassī in the family of a conch-shell blower. On having attained the age of intelligence, he arrived at proficiency in that science, and on having met the Blessed One Vipassī one day, he became pious-minded, made reverential offering of conch-shell blowing to Him, and thenceforward he did service to the Master at every available time (kālena kālaṃ). On account of that act of merit, he was reborn in the divine world, did meritorious deeds now and then (aparāparaṃ) and wandering about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, had the bodhi tree bathed with sweet-scented water, had all seats in the precincts of shrines and bodhi trees washed and also had all the dirty ecclesiastical essentials of bhikkhus(monks) cleaned, at the time of the Blessed One Kassapa, saying to himself: “In the time to come may my body be free from impurity and cleanly pure. 10,2. Having passed away from there, he wandered about his rounds of rebirhts among divine and human-beings nad was reborn in a prosperous family at rājagaha, when this Buddha arose. When he was remaining in the womb of his mother as well as when he came out of his mother’s womb his body did not dirty with (his mother’s) bile and phlegm and so on, nor did it get tangled (alaggo) like unto a water-drop on the green-lotus-leaf; (his body was well-clean and pure similar to that of the Bodhisatta in His last and fimal rebirth. On that account they gave him the name Vimala even. On having come of age, he caught sight of Buddha’s power at the entrance of Rājagaha suitably gained pious faith, became a monk, took hold of mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) and dwelt in a mountain-cave at the knigdom of Kosala. Then, one day, a great shower of rain, covering the four continents (cātuddīpika) fell spreading all over the cavity (gabbha) of the entire universe (cakkavāḷa). It is said that this sort of rain used to shower in the life time (dharamānakāla) of Buddhas and world-kings in such a world-cycle as stood moving-back (vivaṭṭaṭṭhāyimhi). The mind of the Thera became well composed and one-pointed with his gaining of favourable weather over the cessation of the burning heat of the hot season (ghammapariḷāha). Well-composed-minded he there and then indulged himself in the development of spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship after reaching the right paths in succession (maggapaṭipāṭiyā). Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “I was a blower of conch-shell of the Blessed One Vipassī. Permanently engaged I was, in attending upon the speaker of good words (sugata), the great Sage. (Mahesi). See the fruitful result of attending on such a One, the protector of the world! Sixty thousand musicians surround me at all times. It was ninety one aeons ago that I attended upon the great Ascetic. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my service. Twentyfour aeons (kappa) ago from now, there happened to be sixteen world- kings of great vigour known by the name of Mahānigghosa. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. 10,3. Having however attained Arahantship, he uttered the stanza starting with “Dharaṇī ce siñcati vāti, mālluto.” Making his joyous utterance over his mental satisfaction after having done his duty. 50. There, Dharaṇī means earth (pathavī); indeed that earth is said to be “dharaṇī (carrier),” because it carries the entire bearable or unbearable (dharādharaṃ). Siñcati is to be construed as:– Because of the special rein-shower filling the heavenly sky all round, it sprinkles with the rain-shower of the big rain-cloud. Vāti māluto means cold wind blows because of being permeated and well-mixed with water. Vijjutā carati nabhe is to be construed as:– here and there because of thundering and roaring, flashes of lightning emerged from the heavy cloud of rain and wandered about hither and thither in the sky. Upasamenti vitakkā is to be construed as:– favoured with favourable weather, with the achievement of calm (samatha) and composure (vipassanā) at the preliminary portion (pubbabhāge), having become calmed by way of being momentary (tagaṅga), all such nine violently wild thoughts as wild thoughts (vitakka) on sensual pleasures and so on became calmed down with the achievement of holy noble path (ariyamagga); they became well cut off totally (anavasesato). He said about the moment of the right holy path (ariyamaggakkhaṇa) having nade it currently present (vattamāna) because of the nearness of being current (vattamānasamīpatāya). In other words this present-tense expression (is employed) in the significance of the past. Cittaṃ susamāhitaṃ mama is to be construed as:– after that even, my mind had become well-composed by means of transcendental concentration (lokuttarasamādhi); there does not now exist anything that should be done in that mental composure (samādhāne); thus, the Thera made manifest his Arahantship (aññā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Vimala is complete. The Commentary on the fifth Chapter (pañcamavagga) is complete. ----